Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ALGIERS246
2006-02-12 05:37:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Algiers
Cable title:  

GAS PIPELINE EXPLOSION IN AOMAR

Tags:  EPET PTER ENRG AG 
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VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAS #0246 0430537
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 120537Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY ALGIERS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0226
INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1139
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1647
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 1174
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 6002
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 000246 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/11/2016
TAGS: EPET PTER ENRG AG
SUBJECT: GAS PIPELINE EXPLOSION IN AOMAR


Classified By: AMBASSADOR RICHARD W. ERDMAN
FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 000246

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/11/2016
TAGS: EPET PTER ENRG AG
SUBJECT: GAS PIPELINE EXPLOSION IN AOMAR


Classified By: AMBASSADOR RICHARD W. ERDMAN
FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (U) Wednesday's edition of "Le Soir d'Algerie" reported
that GSPC member Mohamed Keraouni, also known as Emir
Kezouit, used a homemade bomb to destroy a portion of the
Hassi R'mel-Cap Dijnet gas pipeline on February 6 in Aomar,
approximately 100 kilometers southeast of Algiers. The
article provided no indication of the source attributing the
explosion to the GSPC. According to Le Soir, residents in
the nearby village of Aomar initially believed that the
explosion, which occurred shortly before 1 a.m. local on
February 6, was an earthquake. The pipeline reportedly
sealed itself automatically, extinguishing the fire within an
hour. Should the GSPC prove to be responsible, this attack
would mark the seventh of its kind in Algeria since 1995 but
the first since 2000.


2. (C) Embassy contacts at the Ministry of Mines and Energy
declined to issue an official statement but noted that
security agents had started an investigation. Meanwhile,
Algerian gas and electricity utility Sonelgaz issued a
communiquQ describing the incident as a "technical problem."
A source at the Sonelgaz office in Bouira told a journalist
contact of the Embassy that the explosion had been caused by
a "terrorist act" and that the damage was "limited." The
journalist contact further noted that following the explosion
Sonelgaz cut off the flow of gas to areas supplied by the
damaged pipeline. This included some hotels in Algiers,
whose lack of hot water and heat were noted by various
Embassy TDYers and hotel contacts. Post will continue to
monitor the situation and report on developments as necessary.
ERDMAN